5 questions about CSU men’s basketball team as practices begin

After years of roster stability, there’s a whole lot new about the Colorado State men’s basketball team.

Graduations, transfers and an NBA departure mean the latest edition of the Rams is much changed.

Heck, the Rams even have new practice jerseys.

CSU held its first official practice of the 2022-23 season Monday. Here’s a look at five questions as CSU begins its path toward the season.

How does the team look without David Roddy?

OK, who will take over the 33 minutes, 19 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game?

No one person, of course. That’s David Roddy’s stat line from last season and highlights the hole he leaves with his departure as a first-round NBA draft pick.

There’s no like-for-like replacement for that.

The Niko Medved offense is built on heavy ball movement and lots of scoring options. John Tonje (9.1 points per game) will likely have a larger scoring burden, and opportunity.

Point guard wizard Isaiah Stevens (14.7 ppg) might be asked to score more. There’s a big opportunity for Jalen Lake and Isaiah Rivera to step into larger roles. Plus, some new players (more on them below) will help.

There’s no new Roddy, but a collective group will be relied on as replacement.

How do new players fit?

There are six new scholarship players on the roster. Three — Taviontae Jackson, Jack Payne and Kyle Evans — are true freshmen.

Three — Josiah Strong, Patrick Cartier and Joe Palmer — are transfers.

Strong and Cartier are the easiest to project their roles. Strong is a 6-foot-4 combo guard who transferred in from Illinois State. He’ll likely start at shooting guard and provide more length and strength than Kendle Moore. Strong is an electric shooter. It will bode well for CSU if he averages in the 10- to 13-point range.

Cartier is a 6-foot-8 forward who will likely start at Roddy’s vacated power forward position alongside James Moors at center. He’s a strong paint scorer who also has a capable outside shot.

The others are fighting for roles. Jackson is a guard, and it’s a position where someone will earn time as a backup to Stevens, with Jackson and Baylor Hebb in the mix.

Payne is 6-foot-6 wing player who has a versatile skillset. Evans is a 6-foot-10 big with long arms. He’s still developing some of his skillset but could help as a rim protector.

The 6-foot-4 Palmer is a wildcard as a transfer from Division III Augsburg, but he’s athletic and can score.

More CSU athletics:Lytle: CSU football fans hope this is rock bottom for Rams

Can CSU basketball sustain success?

A year ago, the question was if CSU could make the jump from good to really good. The Rams did that with 25 wins and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 with a No. 6 seed.

The next step in program development is sustaining success. Roddy’s departure creates a big challenge, but this is what top programs do. They find a way to keep winning through a revolving door of talent entering and exiting.

Can CSU maintain NCAA Tournament hopes despite the roster turnover?

“It’s really just been a carryover. The leaders are doing a great job of showing the young guys and the new guys the way. I think all the new guys have really fit in seamlessly. I love the way this team works,” Medved said.

“I think there’s an expectation of success here, and I think all these guys feel that. The guys who have been here know what that looks like, how hard you have to work, how small the margins are to winning and losing. What you do every day is what matters.”

What are the schedule challenges and opportunities?

The 2022-23 schedule is arguably more difficult than the challenging 2021-22 one that helped the Rams earn a No. 6 seed.

The schedule could see CSU face 11 teams who were in the postseason last season (seven in NCAA Tournament, two in NIT and one each in CBI and Basketball Classic).

Highlights include:

• Nov. 17 vs. South Carolina in Charleston Classic. South Carolina signed No. 6 overall recruit GG Jackson.

• Dec. 8 at Colorado. CU and CSU haven’t played since 2019. CU will play in Fort Collins next season.

• Dec. 18 at Saint Mary’s. A perennial mid-major power that finished No. 19 in NET last year and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This is the start of a home-and-home, and the Gaels will play in Fort Collins next season.

• Dec. 21 vs. USC in Phoenix. The Trojans were a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season.

The late-November and December stretch of games will go a long way to determining if CSU has NCAA Tournament at-large hopes.

All game times will be announced later as TV makes its selections.

When can fans see the Rams?

It won’t be long until fans can watch the new-look Rams in action.

The team is hosting a scrimmage on homecoming weekend before the football game vs. Utah State. Moby Arena will open at 12:45 p.m. Oct. 15 for a 1-2 p.m. scrimmage (football kicks off at 5 p.m.). The team will be signing autographs after. There is no fee for admission.

CSU hosts Metro State in an exhibition on Oct. 28. The season opener is Nov. 7 against Gardner-Webb.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: 5 questions about Colorado State men’s basketball as practices begin